The explosive growth in telecommunication in general, and in the area of wireless communication in particular requires more and more frequent updates of the software applications included in the communication devices, for example, radio interfaces. Another trend also contributing to this development is the ever increasing trend of providing the communication devices with more and more functionality, for example, multiple radio access technologies (RATs), e.g. WCDMA, GSM/GPRS, WLAN, Bluetooth, IEEE 802.11a, or IEEE 802.11b. Given the heterogeneity of functionality wireless networks often have to gradually introduce new functionality into their networks, or modify existing functionality. However, it is then required that the communication devices (e.g. mobile terminals) already present in the network are capable to operate in the new network, i.e. that they are interoperable with the new network, after that the new functionality in the network has been introduced. In addition to the above-mentioned, the users desire access to the latest versions of the software applications in his or hers communication device, e.g. mobile terminals or laptops, even if it is not required from a technical point of view, which is an important factor also influencing this rapid development. However, a problem is when existing communication devices need to update or receive a software application (e.g. wireless e-mail, operating system) and software for operating or configuring a certain RAT (e.g. terminal-network communication protocols, algorithms and data processing functions). Typically, the communication device is taken into a service centre to update or receive an application so that the communication device can provide a service associated therewith. This is time consuming and also expensive.
A number of solutions has been proposed in order to solve this problem. In U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,600 a radio, for example, a cellular phone comprising a dedicated downloading channel for downloading and upgrading terminal software of the radio is disclosed. Thereby, it is not necessary to bring the radio to the communication centre in order to upgrade of receive software included in the radio. For example, software for configuring the cellular phone to operate as a CDMA phone or as a GSM phone.
Nevertheless, the radio and method described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,052,600 is associated with a number of problems and/or limitations. Firstly, a double memory may be needed. In other words, memory space taken up by the current software version cannot be freed until the new version has been properly downloaded since (at least parts of) the old version is in use during the download process. Secondly, resources that may be needed for other communication (normal traffic) is occupied by the software download process. If parts of the old software stored in the memory is over-written (in order to save memory) by the downloaded update, it may be impossible to perform the other communication at all during the download process. Finally, installation of the new software may fail. Errors not discovered before the old software has been removed may result in a non-functioning radio interface, which is impossible to repair through over-the-air upgrade (using erroneous radio functionality).
Thus, there is a need for a communication device and a method for a communication device that are capable of downloading and upgrading terminal software of the device over-the-air, i.e. without bringing it to a service centre, in a efficient and fail-safe manner.